Last year, Great Western agreed to acquire 63 branches from Centrust for about $100 million.

It recently agreed to acquire 13 branches from Carteret Savings, adding to the 66 branches it already operated in the state.

Manufacturers Hanover has expanded by acquiring 24 branches, with $2.8 billion of deposits, from the failed Goldome Savings Bank.

Great Western Financial agreed to acquire 28 branches of Lincoln Savings from the Federal Government for $12.1 million.

Mr. Reed says that he wants to take full-service banking nationwide and that he need not acquire or open many branches to do so.

Barclays, which has been in Spain since 1974, will acquire 536 retail branches.

In 1995, the Bank acquired 30 branches of the North American Trust Company.

Chase Manhattan has also been an active branch buyer recently, having acquired 25 branches with nearly $2.8 billion of deposits since April.

It said it expects to acquire more branches from other savings banks before the end of the year.

Last month, First Fidelity acquired 48 branches and $2.5 billion in deposits from a failed New Jersey savings bank.